Friday, April 28, 2006

Convicting Christians

Friday, April 28, 2006 -- Week of 2 Easter

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


Today's Readings for the Daily Office
(p. 959)
Psalms 16, 17 (morning) // 134, 135 (afternoon)
Exodus 16:23-26
1 Peter 3:13 - 4:6
John 16:1-15

I remember someone leading a church group asking the following question: "If you were on trial for being Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" I also remember being in some doubt at the time whether there was enough evidence for my conviction. I felt myself to be pretty much like most other people.

Because our culture has been so influenced by Christianity, it is not too difficult to function socially and remain Christian. Christians usually don't stand out as being very different from non-Christians. Often when they do, when Christians bring attention to themselves through witnessing or public moralism, it seems more obnoxious than gracious.

For the most part, the early Christians looked pretty much like any other folks in the Roman empire. But there was one big difference. The members of the early church did not participate in the state religious rituals. They were conspicuous by their absence.

Many religious activities in the Roman world were also civic activities. Because the emperor was included in the pantheon of gods, a community event at the shrine of Apollo took on patriotic as well as religious significance. The elite families, who were usually those who also held political power, would underwrite these festivals with sacrifices that produced what amounted to a vast bar-b-que. For many peasants it might be their only opportunity to eat such expensive food. The whole community turned out for the celebration and feasting. Except the Christians. They took some care to avoid participating in events that might compromise the religious honor that they reserved exclusively for "Jesus the Lord." It caused them problems. Was this a seditious lot who refused to acknowledge Caesar as Lord?

Maybe the Epistle of Peter is referring to the Christian absence from these civic events in a passage we read today. "You have already spent enough time in doing what the Gentiles like to do, living in licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry. They are surprised that you no longer join them in the same excesses of dissipation, and so they blaspheme."

What might we in our generation abstain from for the sake of the Lordship of Jesus? I know what my friend Jay McDaniel would say. Consumerism. Jay says that consumerism is the religion of our culture, the idolatry of Americans. I know what some liberation theologians would say. Domination. They say that military and economic domination of the poor and the exploited is the sin and patriotic idolatry of the first world. I know what some critics of the Episcopal Church might say. Elitism. They say ours is a church of elitists, both intellectual and cultural elitists, willing to pass down our largess but unable to be so hospitable and so egalitarian as to truly welcome and embrace as equals those who aren't like us. For these folks, Christians are different because they refuse to participate in consumerism, and because Christians relate to all people from a position of service and non-violence, and because Christians honor all others with such respect that they move with easy familiarity and gracious humility in the lowest circles.

If the critics in the paragraph above were to place you on trial for being Christian according to the criteria they profess, would there be enough evidence to convict you? I think I'm in the same place of some doubt as I was when I heard my first version of that question.

Lowell
_________________________



Anyone may subscribe to "Morning Reflections" by sending a regular email to the following address: lowell-request@arkansasusa.com
Then, type the following command in the main body of the email:
JOIN lowell your-email-address (example: JOIN lowell JaneDoe@aol.com)

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Honor the Emperor?

Thursday, April 27, 2006 -- Week of 2 Easter

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html



Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 959)
Psalms 18:1-20 (morning) // 18:21-50 (afternoon)
Exodus 16:10-22
1 Peter 2:11-25
John 15:12-27

Today we read a set of scripture passages that I have issues with.

"Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him... Honor the emperor. Servants be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only the kind and gentle but also to the overbearing."

On the one hand, I can understand the context for these words. The young church was small, weak and vulnerable in a society that could easily become suspicious of a group who followed a criminal executed for sedition. There were rumors that these Christians were cannibals who ate the flesh of their leader Jesus and drank blood. Keeping a very low profile in the Roman world would be to their advantage. To be accused of some form of civil rebellion might bring violence upon them. So the advice comes, be good citizens; respect the law and the emperor; don't make waves. Especially you who are servants in an abusive household. Don't bring disrepute on the rest of us by being contrary. After all, we all might end up like Jesus.

But isn't that the point? To end up like Jesus. Easy for me to say. I'm not threatened; they were.

Using this passage and a few like it, defenders of the status quo have thrown the Bible at many individuals and movements who sought to expand the circles of freedom and justice throughout history. Against those who proposed more representative forms of government, monarchists developed an entire theology of the "Divine Right of Kings". Some comfortable Anglican clergy in the American colonies defended the same acts of King George III and the English Parliament that motivated others to declare these United States as independent. Southern slaveowners found Biblical defense for their institution when embattled by the abolition movement.

When is it right to risk conflict and maybe the threat of violence for the sake of freedom and justice? When is it right to suffer quietly or cooperate with oppression in order to minimize the likelihood of increasing the oppression? That's a critical question in so many contexts, and one that many Christians have answered differently. There were Anglicans on both sides of the American independence movement. Labor organizers struggle with the same fears and instincts from workers -- in which direction lies our greatest good? Some would quiet all protest of recognized authorities. After all, they are there because God put them there. (Romans 13) Honor the emperor. (1 Peter 2:17) Tomorrow's lectionary skips past the Epistle of Peter's next section -- "Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh."

There is another great Biblical river that runs counter to these messages. It is the story of the Exodus and the passion of God to liberate God's people from slavery and oppression. It is the story of the prophets who challenged the authorities to administer justice, especially on behalf of the poor and vulnerable. It is the story of Jesus, who challenged the values of the Emperor and the economics of empire with his declaration of the Kingdom of God and its economics of compassion.

Maybe there are times when we should be quiet and compliant like the Epistle of Peter advises. But those messages are like incongruous blips on the great Biblical screen of liberation and justice. And I think it is a particular blasphemy when the comfortable and powerful use these scriptures to quiet and intimidate God's suffering people. The church of First Peter laid low and survived, thank God. But their strategy is not the primary message from scripture.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Branches and Rocks

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 -- Week of 2 Easter

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 959)
Psalms 119:1-24 (morning) // 12, 13, 14 (afternoon)
Exodus 15:22 - 16:10
1 Peter 2:1-10
John 15:1-11

*(if these readings seem especially familiar; I mis-read the Prayer Book and used them last Wednesday)

Two metaphors appear in our epistle and gospel readings -- the vine & branches and the stones that build a temple.

Jesus invites us to understand our relationship with the divine to be as nurturing and intimate as a branch's relationship to the vine. We are to be branches, receiving our life and energy from the vine, grounded in the life-giving soil of the earth, growing naturally under the gifts of sun and rain and the Spirit's wind. Sometimes I have meditated in that metaphor. I can feel my connectedness with the divine life, God's energy and presence flowing in and through me like life from the vine. I can let the gifts of eternal light and living water and Holy Spirit surround and penetrate me with vitality and being. Grounded in the rooted depths of the unmovable source, I can be, and the fruit of good living seems to come forth of itself.

The Epistle of Peter speaks of us as a spiritual house built of living stones, Christ himself the chief cornerstone. There is a local builder who uses stone, primarily for rock walls and retainers, but I have seen the same techniques in old pioneers' stone cabins. He carefully observes the sizes and shapes of each rock that he may use. Every one must fit as precisely as possible. From time to time he will chip or divide a stone, taking off a piece that will not fit into a sound structure, or dividing a rock into a more accessible shape. He is so effective at matching shapes that he doesn't use any mortar or concrete. Just rocks that fit together beautifully.

Such are the pieces of our lives, a spiritual house built of living stones. How congruent are the various parts of our day? Do we fit our actions together in such a way that they are laid upon a sound foundation and fit together into a functional whole?

I remember a parable about a wealthy Lord who came to two of his subjects and asked each to build him a house. Spare no expense, he said. Find the finest locations upon my estates, and use whatever materials you need. I will pay for everything. The two builders set to work, but in very different spirits. One followed the instruction of the owner and with meticulous care created a dwelling of profound quality and beauty. The other cut corners to suit his convenience and used materials that were quick and easy.

When the two were finished, they presented themselves to the Lord with the keys to the homes. "Thank you for your good work for me," said the owner. "Now, let me give to each of you the key to the house that you have made. Though you built them for me, they will be your homes to live in for the rest of your lives."

Each moment of the day is like a living stone that we are laying to build the temple of our lives. What attention and care and quality do we bring to our building, what workmanship or art, what material and spirit? What you build is what you get.

The branch receives life from the vine. Each stone becomes part of the building. "I am the vine, you are the branches," says Jesus. "Let yourselves be built into a spiritual house," says Peter.

These are not just individualistic metaphors, but also metaphors for any community or society. The kind of congregation or nation we will be is dramatically affected by our relationship with divine purpose and by the quality of our workmanship. As a people, will we bring forth good fruit, for what we build is what we will get?

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

The Escape from Violence

Tuesday, April 35, 2006 -- Feast of St. Mark

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office
(p. 959)
Psalms 5, 6 (morning) // 10, 11 (afternoon)
Exodus 15:1-21
1 Peter 1:13-25
John 14:18-31

*(if these readings seem especially familiar; I mis-read the Prayer Book and used them last Tuesday)

Today we read the songs of Miriam and Moses. As they realize that the Hebrews have escaped from the Egyptian army through the Sea, they sing in praise of God. Scholars say that Miriam's song is the oldest written strata of the entire Bible. From the other shore the breathless escapees look back and see that the pursuers cannot make their way through the Sea of Reeds. It is the women who first realize that they are safe and who attribute their deliverance to God. They pick up their tambourines. "Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea."

A later poet(s) elaborated on the earlier account, creating the Song of Moses. "Pharaoh's chariots and his army he cast into the sea; his picked officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone."

Rabbinical Midrash teaches that when the heavenly hosts saw the Exodus event, they wanted to join in the triumphant singing, but God rebuked them, saying, ""My children the Egyptians are drowning in the sea. How can you sing and celebrate?"

In 1 Peter we read today, "You know you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors." The way of Jesus who breaks the cycle of violence with loving non-violence is our Exodus escape from those futile ways of dominance through violence. Violence always begets violence. On the cross, Jesus broke the vicious cycle and invited us to walk in this new way.

The stories of Exodus and Resurrection tell us that God moves to secure our liberation from all Egypt-like domination, including the liberation that must occur in our hearts so that we do not become dominators. God takes us out of Egypt, but God must also take the Egypt out of us.

In today's gospel reading Jesus promises to send "another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive." This Spirit comes to those "who have my commandments." During his ministry Jesus had summarized all of the law and commandments with the Great Commandment, love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself. Just a few verses before today's reading, Jesus gave the disciples the New Commandment, "Love one another."

He concludes this passage today with the final gift, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives." (my emphasis) This new way of love begets peace. Loving non-violence is the new path of liberation from the futile ways inherited from our ancestors, from the way the world gives. We are not to live that way.

We are taken out of the ways of violence which beget violence and placed upon the other shore of love which begets peace.

Monday, April 24, 2006

Seeing and Not Seeing

Monday, April 24, 2006 -- Week of 2 Easter

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Discussion Blog

To comment on today's reflection or readings, go to http://lowellsblog.blogspot.com, find today's reading, click "comment" at the bottom of the reading, and post your thoughts.

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 959)
Psalms 1, 2, 3 (morning) // 4, 7 (afternoon)
Exodus 14:21-31
1 Peter 1:1-12
John 14:(1-7) 8-17

"Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

This song from 1 Peter rings in my ears as I recall the sermons from yesterday. I listened to Chuck talk about the kind of faith that is "itching and scratching like ants in your pants." The kind of faith like Thomas', that can turn on a dime when necessary. And I read Suzanne's sermon where she talked about the incredible embracing of that first Christian community, making room for disciples who were sure that they had seen the risen Lord as well as for the heartbroken Thomas whose experience was so different. They remained together through the differences and the itching and scratching, in "that one small room [that] was somehow large enough to contain those opposing, life wrenching emotions of joy and grief, doubt and assurance," as Suzanne described it.

One of the privileges of being a priest is to hear the many different ways that faithful Christians have experienced "joy and grief, doubt and assurance." There are some who find faith and belief easy, natural. But there are more who find themselves "itching and scratching", wondering and not-knowing, yet drawn and fascinated by the wonder of that which they may only vaguely intuit. It is important to value and honor the gray and misty path.

We inherit so many stories that are the result of generations of appreciation that seems to add a certain concreteness to the witness. But had we been there at the time, we may have had little more to go with empirically than we do today.

I remember the seminary class when my professor explained how the Exodus "probably happened." A small band of Hebrew slaves escaping through the Sea of Reeds. It is a fairly shallow body of water, but probably too much for wading. Occasionally, however, a desert sirocco will blow back the waters so forcefully that it will create a muddy, shallow expanse that is accessible by foot. But a chariot will bog down. A heavily uniformed warrior will not be able to get through the muck.

Luck or God. You interpret. Divine timing for sure. The story got elaborated with time into the Cecil DeMille tunnel of waters that may be inside our mind's eye. That image is definitely miraculous. Or magic. But I'll bet the original event was more ambiguous.

Before Jesus' ascension there is a resurrection scene when he is with his disciples and the gospel says they worshiped him, "but some doubted." What did they not see about a crucified man who was alive with them? Whatever happened, there were different ways to interpret it. What would I have seen?

Sunday at the 8:45 service I had one of those moments when I looked around and was so happy and so thankful to be part of all of this. It seemed the room tingled with joy. I felt love for everyone in that place. It seemed such a mysterious privilege to be there. It was self-authenticating. In a way, it was like seeing Jesus. There was a rejoicing with an indescribable and glorious joy. I'm sure everyone didn't experience it that way. Most of the time, I don't. When when I do, it is SO real.

Seeing and Not Seeing

Monday, April 24, 2006 -- Week of 2 Easter

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Discussion Blog

To comment on today's reflection or readings, go to http://lowellsblog.blogspot.com, find today's reading, click "comment" at the bottom of the reading, and post your thoughts.

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 959)
Psalms 1, 2, 3 (morning) // 4, 7 (afternoon)
Exodus 14:21-31
1 Peter 1:1-12
John 14:(1-7) 8-17

"Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

This song from 1 Peter rings in my ears as I recall the sermons from yesterday. I listened to Chuck talk about the kind of faith that is "itching and scratching like ants in your pants." The kind of faith like Thomas', that can turn on a dime when necessary. And I read Suzanne's sermon where she talked about the incredible embracing of that first Christian community, making room for disciples who were sure that they had seen the risen Lord as well as for the heartbroken Thomas whose experience was so different. They remained together through the differences and the itching and scratching, in "that one small room [that] was somehow large enough to contain those opposing, life wrenching emotions of joy and grief, doubt and assurance," as Suzanne described it.

One of the privileges of being a priest is to hear the many different ways that faithful Christians have experienced "joy and grief, doubt and assurance." There are some who find faith and belief easy, natural. But there are more who find themselves "itching and scratching", wondering and not-knowing, yet drawn and fascinated by the wonder of that which they may only vaguely intuit. It is important to value and honor the gray and misty path.

We inherit so many stories that are the result of generations of appreciation that seems to add a certain concreteness to the witness. But had we been there at the time, we may have had little more to go with empirically than we do today.

I remember the seminary class when my professor explained how the Exodus "probably happened." A small band of Hebrew slaves escaping through the Sea of Reeds. It is a fairly shallow body of water, but probably too much for wading. Occasionally, however, a desert sirocco will blow back the waters so forcefully that it will create a muddy, shallow expanse that is accessible by foot. But a chariot will bog down. A heavily uniformed warrior will not be able to get through the muck.

Luck or God. You interpret. Divine timing for sure. The story got elaborated with time into the Cecil DeMille tunnel of waters that may be inside our mind's eye. That image is definitely miraculous. Or magic. But I'll bet the original event was more ambiguous.

Before Jesus' ascension there is a resurrection scene when he is with his disciples and the gospel says they worshiped him, "but some doubted." What did they not see about a crucified man who was alive with them? Whatever happened, there were different ways to interpret it. What would I have seen?

Sunday at the 8:45 service I had one of those moments when I looked around and was so happy and so thankful to be part of all of this. It seemed the room tingled with joy. I felt love for everyone in that place. It seemed such a mysterious privilege to be there. It was self-authenticating. In a way, it was like seeing Jesus. There was a rejoicing with an indescribable and glorious joy. I'm sure everyone didn't experience it that way. Most of the time, I don't. When when I do, it is SO real.

Friday, April 21, 2006

Different Stories, Same Meaning / And Ransom

Friday, April 21, 2006 -- Friday in Easter Week

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 959)
Psalms 136 (morning) // 118 (afternoon)
Exodus 13:1-2, 11-16
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
Luke 24:1-12

This week we've been reading the various accounts of Jesus' resurrection and his appearances to the disciples. It is interesting to note that all of the Gospel accounts are different and that none of the appearance stories is found in more than one gospel. In the accounts of Jesus' life and ministry leading up to his death, there are many stories that are told in more than one gospel. Not so for the stories of Easter and beyond. It seems that each community and each evangelist told the resurrection stories in their own way.

Though the stories are different, the meaning is consistent. Jesus lives. He has triumphed over the powers who executed, over empire and death. Now he is alive for us, no longer conformed to space and time. He is with us, sometimes recognized and sometimes not, abiding with us always. Jesus is Lord, the victorious one, who invites us to walk in his way of compassion and love.

It seems freeing to me that we have many different ways to express that same meaning. Every person's story of the risen Christ has its uniqueness.
____________

The Exodus passage establishes a post-Passover tradition. "Whatever is the first to open the womb among the Israelites, of human beings and animals, is mine." So, the firstborn of every animal is to be given to God, presented to the priests for God's use. An unclean animal, like a donkey, can be redeemed by presenting a clean animal, a sheep. Every firstborn male child must be redeemed or purchased back from God, either with money or the substitution of a member of the priestly tribe of Levi.

Redeem is an interesting word. To redeem means to pay a ransom in order to set free and regain possession of a family member or plot of land that has been taken over by another person or owner. If your relative has been captured in war or has become a slave through indebtedness, you may ransom them by making a payment for their freedom. A ransom is a means of liberation.

Several places in the New Testament, the word ransom is used in connection with Jesus' life. Jesus gave his life as a means of liberation from bondage for us. That liberation for us is our life of service rather than a life in domination. As Mark's gospel puts it: "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them and their great one are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mk. 10:42-44)

Our liberation is our imitation of Jesus' servant leadership, which ransoms / redeems (liberates) us from the broken systems of domination.
_________

P.S. The word translated "die" in many English New Testaments means more literally "fall asleep" in the Greek. Occasionally you'll see a sign over the door of a church's infant's nursery: "We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed." (1 Cor. 15:51)

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Death, Resurrection and Aliens

Thursday, April 20, 2006 -- Thursday in Easter Week

Note: It was pointed out to me yesterday that I've been reading a week ahead. I've been doing the readings for the "Week of 2 Easter" rather than "Easter Week." I've got the correct readings today.

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office
(p. 959)
Psalms 97, 99 (morning) // 115 (afternoon)
Exodus 12:40-51
1 Corinthians 15:(29)30-41
Matthew 28:1-16

"I die every day!" says Paul. His spiritual practice of daily death allowed him the courage and hope to face opponents he called "wild animals" in Ephesus. My Christian spirituality professor in seminary used to say his best days are those when he dies before 6 a.m. It was his practice to sit in contemplative prayer each morning. He opened with this prayer:

In your hands we rest
In the cup of whose hands sailed an ark
Rudderless, without mast.

In your hands we rest
Who was to make of the aimless wandering of the Ark
A new beginning for the world.

In your hands we rest
Ready and content this day. Amen.

On those mornings when he let go of everything including any attachment to his own self and life, he found that when he died or disappeared, God fills the all. That is the common experience of all who contemplate. It is liberating.
_________

Paul also gets into an argument about resurrection today. Someone has asked "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" The questions seem to anger Paul. He's content with knowing that we shall be raised with Christ. His own vision of Jesus on the Damascus Road was a spiritual vision. So Paul insists that, like seeds, we will die to the perishable flesh and rise imperishable in the Spirit. Beyond that, who knows?
_________

A couple of thoughts about the Exodus reading, giving future instruction for the eating of the passover ritual meal. In Exodus, anyone who eats the passover must be circumcised. (That requirement is not mentioned in Numbers 9.) "But any slave who has been purchased may eat of it after he has been circumcised; no bound or hired servant may eat of it."

How troubling this passage is. It was for freedom that the Hebrews cried to God and were delivered from their slavery in Egypt through the Lord's passover. As the prophets noted in future generations, it is one thing to take someone out of Egypt, it is another to take Egypt out of the person. What a lesson in human failure to note that after being liberated from slavery in Egypt, Israel made provision for the practice of slavery in their own land. How often have the formerly oppressed become oppressors. How often has it happened in our own lives?

But there is a light in this passage. Although (in Exodus) the uncircumcised person is not invited to the passover feast, nevertheless "there shall be one law for the native and for the alien who resides among you." The same statute is repeated in Numbers (without the uncircumcised exception). The same "one law" theme shows up elsewhere.

There is strong Biblical tradition of hospitality and equality toward aliens residing among the people. It is an important tradition of compassion. We see Jesus behaving with equanimity toward aliens and foreigners, sharing his table and his ministry with them as with those of his own religion and nation.

At a time when our nation is discussing our attitudes toward the aliens who reside among us, these Biblical traditions of hospitality, equality and respect seem like important principles for our discussion.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Free Joy

Wednesday, April 19, 2006 -- Wednesday in Easter Week

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 959)
Psalms 119:1-24 (morning) // 12, 13, 14 (afternoon)
Exodus 15:22 - 16:10
1 Peter 2:1-10
John 15:1-11

Many of us were taught that you have to earn your keep. Beginning at a tender age we started getting grades on our performance. We experienced praise or blame depending upon how well we were doing or how compliant we were. The whole message was one of qualified and insecure standing. That's life in Egypt. Do what your taskmasters tell you, the way that they tell you, or you'll get in trouble. The threatened life.

When God liberated Israel from Egypt, God fed them with manna. God provided for their daily needs. God didn't give them a surplus. If you tried to insure your security by gathering enough manna for a second day, it turned to worms. God provided water for them and sweetened its bitterness. Now free from their taskmasters in Egypt, Israel was invited to trust God for their security of daily bread and steadfast loving affection. It's a different life from Egypt. The free life.

It takes a bit of trust to let God bring you your life instead of satisfying internal or external taskmasters for your security. Simply trusting God for the needs of the present, letting go of the grasping control of the future, is like being connected with grace. It is to be a branch on the vine. It is to abide in Christ. To abide in love.

Jesus says that it is his intention that his divine "joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete." Relaxing into the day with trust, receiving the manna of daily bread, and abiding in the divine love. Sounds like the free life. Sounds like joy.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Next Sunday's Scriptures

Here are the scripture readings for this upcoming Sunday.

Suggestion: Print this post and read a different passage each day and think about it (some questions are offered to help stimulate your reflection).

You'll find your experience of worship on Sunday will be intensified.

April 23, 2006
Second Sunday of Easter, Year B
Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary

Acts 4:32-35
Psalm 133
1 John 1:1-2:2
John 20:19-31

Acts 4:32-35
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and
soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions,
but everything they owned was held in common. With great power
the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy
person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them
and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the
apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
____________________________

This apostolic economy did not last in the life of the church except within monastic and a few other intentional communities.
What are your thoughts about this form of economics and community?
______________________________________________________

Psalm 133:1-3
1 Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *
when brethren live together in unity!
2 It is like fine oil upon the head *
that runs down upon the beard,
3 Upon the beard of Aaron, *
and runs down upon the collar of his robe.
4 It is like the dew of Hermon *
that falls upon the hills of Zion.
5 For there the Lord has ordained the blessing: *
life for evermore.
_____________________________

Read this Psalm with great gusto and a sense of appreciation for the experience of unity and fellowship. When have you felt deeply grateful for your connections within community?
___________________________________________

1 John 1:1-10
We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have
heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at
and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- this
life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and
declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was
revealed to us -- we declare to you what we have seen and heard so
that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our
fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We
are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim
to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If
we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in
darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the
light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one
another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will
forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If
we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word
is not in us.
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that
you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with
the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning
sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins
of the whole world.
__________________________

What does the word "fellowship" mean in this passage?
How do you practice confession and receive (and give) forgiveness?
________________________________________________

John 20:19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and
the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked
for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said,
"Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands
and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has
sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on
them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive
the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins
of any, they are retained."
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told
him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see
the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark
of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and
Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came
and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he
said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out
your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe."
Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to
him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his
disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written
so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son
of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
__________________________

Put yourself in the place of Thomas. How would you have reacted when your friends told you about something you had not experienced?
What helps you become convinced of the truth or falsity of spiritual claims?

The Essence of the Gospel

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 -- Tuesday in Easter Week

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


Today's Readings for the Daily Office
(p. 959)
Psalms 5, 6 (morning) // 10, 11 (afternoon)
Exodus 15:1-21
1 Peter 1:13-25
John 14:18-31

The passage from John's gospel is a rich one. Jesus' bodily absence from the disciples means that he can be spiritually present with them always. We are wrapped into the very life of the Trinity. Jesus is "in the Father" and we are one with Jesus -- "you in me, and I in you." The Holy Spirit, the Advocate, abides with us to teach us all things. Several times in John's gospel we are told that there is even more truth for us to learn through the Spirit.

Everything is centered in love, however. In the gospel story, Jesus gives us two levels of commandment. First, Jesus summarizes the old covenant in the Great Commandment -- you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The Jesus gives to his disciples the New Commandment -- "love one another."

The fruit of this love is peace. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." This peace is the fruit of the perfect love of God, and perfect love casts out fear. When we ground our hearts in the love of God, we live in God's peace. "Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid."

This brief passage conveys the essence of the gospel message. Our task is to remember and to live in this Spirit. The various spiritual practices of the church -- prayer, meditation on the word, sacraments -- are all intended to remind us of this teaching, to ground it in our hearts. An old word for this from the spiritual tradition is recollection. Prayer is recollection. We recall the gospel of living in perfect love, and as we do we are re-collected, made whole in the life of God.

Anything we can do through the day to remember this essence will recall us to our true self, unite us with the Divine.

Saturday, April 15, 2006

Sermon: The Love of Easter

The basic message of Christianity is that God is love. Love all the way down. And that love is the most powerful force in the universe. Love is stronger than even death and hell.

We all know that Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss in the darkness of the garden of Gethsemene. Then, devastated by the realization of what he had done, Judas took his own life. According to Frederick Buechner, "There is a tradition in the early church, however, that [Judas'] suicide was based not on despair but on hope. If God was just, then [Judas] knew there was no question where he would be heading as soon as he'd breathed his last. Furthermore, if God was also merciful, he knew there was no question either that in a last-ditch effort to save the souls of the damned as God's son, Jesus would be down there too. Thus the way Judas figured it, Hell might be the last chance he'd have of making it to Heaven, so to get there as soon as possible, he tied the rope around his neck and kicked away the stool. Who knows?

"In any case, it's a scene to conjure with. Once again they meet in the shadows, the two old friends, both of them a little worse for wear after all that had happened, only this time it was Jesus who was the one to give the kiss, and this time it wasn't the kiss of death that was given." Love, all the way down. One commentator speculated what Jesus' words to Judas might have been. "Judas, my old friend. We couldn't start the party without you." The embrace. The healing kiss. Then, with Hell emptied, Jesus waited for the dawn of Easter to begin the work of embracing the entire earth.

Here's our message. God's all embracing love overcomes all evil and death with the power of resurrection into new life. Love overcomes all. Love all the way down. That's the core of our life in the Church.

I know a church that operates a group home for women recovering from addiction and homelessness. The first thing these women hear as they enter the program, "even while still nauseated, dizzy and aching from head to toe from withdrawal, [they] hear the radical news that they are loved unconditionally... [They learn] that what is most true about each of them-- about all of us -- is that we are loved and that God's love abides in us. What they hear is that just as surely as a peach pit is at the core of every peach, love is at the core of every human being."

Everything we do at this church is intended to energize love in one direction or another. There is the love we receive -- through communion, through the message of scripture and teaching, through forgiveness, through our friendships, and music and prayer. We receive the gift through word and symbol and action: "You are loved and accepted." That's the love we receive.

There is also the love we give away -- through service and outreach, through nurture and friendship, through advocacy and care -- saying to all humanity, indeed all to creation, "We love and care for you," through word and symbol and action. We are a gathered group who is in the business of receiving and giving love. We are convinced that love overcomes all. Love heals and saves. Jesus is our model. We have received unconditional love from him. It is the unconditional love of God. What we have received, we give away.

The story of Easter tells us that when you face evil and death and hell with nothing but love, resurrection happens. Love triumphs over evil through death into the wonder of new life.

I'd like to share with you an Easter story from Patricia Livingson. She has a dear friend Sr. Therese who now conducts a Roman Catholic sabbatical program at Berkeley. "Nearly twenty years ago Sr. Therese was a counselor on the faculty of the international school that her community runs in Rome. There was a student ...Carmen who was very dear to Therese. Sometimes Carmen came to school with strange bruises and welts, and one day she confied to Therese that her stepfather was abusing her.

"Therese spoke to the mother who was outraged and called the daughter a filthy liar. The stepfather was a very wealthy man, who Therese always suspected was connected with the Italian underworld. He was constantly seen with powerful people of all kinds in the worlds of film, politics, and business.

"Not long after this, Carmen ran away, and the father stormed the school demanding that they find her and return her to him. Therese had no idea where Carmen was. Eventually, she heard that the girl had been seen in the company of a man called Il Lupa, the Wolf, a drug dealer. Then some time later, that she had been seen along one of the Roman bridges where prostitutes solicited. Therese tried to find her but was never able to do so.

"A week before Therese was leaving Rome permanently for the United States, she received a call from a nursing sister that the girl was in the ward of her hospital. Therese went right away, and the sister met her saying, 'Carmen is dying. There is no place left in her veins to put a needle.' The girl's poor arms were like sticks, filled with marks from shooting up herion.

"When Carmen opened her eyes and saw Therese, she turned her face to the wall, saying, 'Oh, Sister, you should not have come. I am evil. You must hate me.'

"Therese held her and said, 'Dear one, dear one, dear one, don't say that. You are precious and beautiful. I will always love you.' She held Carmen until she fell asleep.

"Decades have passed since then. Therese, long back in this country, had always been sure that Carmen had died soon after this last visit. It was several years ago that Therese first told [Patricia] the tragic story, tearing up as she remembered.

"[Last] summer she called with a different kind of tears to tell [Patricia] she had gotten an e-mail from an address she did not recognize, from a doctor... It was from the girl, now long a woman!

"She had somehow recovered, escaped from her father and her life in Rome, come to New York where her mother's family lived, and gone back to school. She is now a psychiatrist who works full-time with troubled girls. She had just managed to track down Therese's e-mail address.

"Therese read ...the closing message from Carmen: 'Sister, I have always longed to tell you: it was your love that saved me. Because of you, I could somehow trust God's love. Now I'm trying to pass that love on."

That's our work. To pass along love so that people will live. It's the way everyone will know that God is love. Researchers have found that the one thing that makes the greatest difference in shaping the potential for a child to thrive is if at least one adult will show they believe in that child, one adult will give caring, attentive love to that vulnerable youth. It makes all the difference. Love always begets life.

Easter reminds us of the depths of God's love for us. Through Jesus God gives us unconditional love that telling us that God believes in us and in our potential. Like Sr. Therese, Jesus gladly holds each of us in his arms and says, "Dear one, dear one, dear one. You are precious and beautiful. I will always love you." That is the love that can overcome all that threatens us and our planet. We receive that love today, in word and sacrament and prayer. Then we go out into the world to give away what we have received.

Sister Joan Chittister has said, "We are each called to go through life reclaiming the planet an inch at a time until the Garden of Eden grows green again." On Easter Day long ago, Jesus reclaimed the first inch. Now he is with each of us to help us reclaim our inch. Easter is the encouraging reminder, through love, we too can rise to the occasion.

Sermon; Last Acts: Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday Sermon

Suzanne Stoner was supposed to preach tonight, but her mother-in-law, Elliot's mother, died yesterday, and Suzanne has gone to Dallas to be with the family. She gave me her notes for tonight's sermon; so if you hear some good ideas and phrases, they are hers. The rest is mine.

The arrangements for Jesus' last supper were made in secret. The authorities who collaborated with the Romans had already recruited Judas to help them find Jesus in a private, non-public place away from the crowds. The support of the crowds had made it impossible thus far for them to take him. Jesus worked hard to keep this location a secret, even from Judas. Later in the evening, the betrayer would be able to lead the conspirators to an isolated place to do their dark work.

Jesus knows the noose it tightening. Rome doesn't allow alternative kings and kingdoms. Rome's local allies who run the profitable Temple monopoly need to rid themselves of this troublemaker who exposed their corruption. They've been after him since Sunday and Monday. They will catch up to him. This would probably be his last opportunity to be with his friends.

It's interesting what Jesus chooses to do with his last visit with them. What do you do with your last free minutes with your loved ones? It seems that his choice is framed by his confidence that he has come from God and is going to God. His identity as God's person is secure. We typically make better choices when we are grounded in our true identity, don't we? What will Jesus say or do to leave his legacy with his friends?

It's pretty significant what he doesn't do. He doesn't summarize his teaching to make sure that they got it right. He doesn't pass along to them some secret knowledge or esoteric understanding meant only for the close initiates, like most Gnostic texts might wish for him to do. He doesn't announce some regal claim for honor, prestige or power for himself or his followers.

Instead, he takes off his outer robe, stripping down to his flesh, making plain his incarnation, his humanness. Instead of teaching, he acts. He washes their feet. He is showing them what his words have meant. Loving actions are more important than getting it right. Loving actions -- even when based sometimes on slippery understandings and dim perceptions of divine reality -- loving actions are more significant to Jesus than being certain or right in thinking.

He kneels at their feet as a servant. Here is the leader who is not above all but beneath/underneath all. He is the slave at the door, the one who prepares the others to enter into the household.

It is an odd way to interrupt their meal. The timing must have been puzzling since the feet of the guests had already been washed that evening as they arrived at dinner. Coming into this household, they had most likely entered through a door inscribed with the Shema, the first great commandment, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God; the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." And now within this household a new commandment is being revealed. "Love one another as I have loved you."

Jesus is preparing them for his absence even as he is preparing them for his continued presence. They will be like him, the community that expresses its love for one another through service. This is his glory. This is Jesus' glorification, to lose one's life for another.

He breaks bread and gives it to them. "This is my body."

He passes the wine among them. "This is my blood."

Whenever they do this, they will be re-membering him.

That's all that is left to do. Washing feet. The sharing of a sacred meal.

It will be enough. If they are to know him beyond this night, they will have to know him in the breaking of bread and in the sharing of the cup; they will have to know him in the humble service of loving one another.

These are the actions that re-member his presence. This is what will have to last beyond death and forever.

Sermon: An Ordinary Friday

Sermon for Good Friday

It's such an ordinary way of assessing a situation and making a decision. The sin of Caiaphas. He advises the authorities that it is better to have one person die than to have the Roman legions coming down on them. Makes sense. If someone is claiming to be king in place of Caesar or proclaiming a Kingdom of God in the place of the Pax Romana, Rome will not look lightly upon that one. He might be an innocent soul, but he's stepped on the wrong toes.

Such was the moral calculus of the Caiaphas the High Priest. The High Priest has a hard job. He has to oversee the interests of the Temple and its complicated business, and he has to keep Rome happy. This was just one of those necessary compromise decisions that people in authority have to make.


The soldiers were just doing their jobs, following orders. When the chain of command says rough up the prisoner, that's what soldiers do. When there is an opportunity for a little diversion you take it: a bit of wagering for a nice tunic. All in a day's work.


Pilate had been assigned to this troubled corner of the empire. The only good thing about the job is the possibility that it could be a stepping stone to something attractive, maybe back in Rome. Keep the place quiet. Maintain order. Don't let any of this Jewish fanaticism raise enough noise to be heard in Rome. Now the local authorities that he collaborates with bring him a problem. It doesn't seem like a big problem. But it wouldn't do for some back-stabbing gossip to whisper to the emperor that Pilate let a would-be rival go. Take care of little problems before they become big ones. Maybe sometimes it's a bit heavy-handed, but better safe than sorry. Who is this guy anyway? From Galilee. Never heard of him. So what?


It was cold. Dark. Scary. Peter couldn't tell what was happening. Somebody says something to somebody and he's inside the gate. Nothing but police and slaves around. He's alone, locked inside with the others. "You're not one of this man's disciples, are you?" "I am not." He was just protecting himself.


It's the kind of stuff that happens all the time. So ordinary. So instinctual. Mostly reactive self-protection. We all do it. Everybody does.

Who was the guilty?
Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason,
Jesus hath undone thee.
'Twas I, Lord Jesus,
I it was denied thee:
I crucified thee.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Best Intentions

Friday, April 14, 2006 -- Good Friday

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 957)
Psalms 22 (morning) // 40:1-14(15-19), 54 (afternoon)
Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-33
1 Peter 1:10-20
John 13:36-38 (morning)
John 19:38-42 (evening)

We have the best of intentions. Most of the time, everybody is doing about the best they can do. All of us have such limited insight. Sometimes we don't have all of the resources we need. Often we lack emotional nourishment. If we had more conscious awareness of what makes us tick, more information and alternatives available to us, different life experiences and more love, support, and and encouragement, we could do better. We could have done better. Given our limited insight, resources, and emotional nourishment, most of us are doing just about as well as we can. And we can fail so miserably.

The Daily Lectionary sets us up so deftly today. We read only a brief morning gospel passage. Three verses. A lot has already happened on this last night. Jesus has washed the feet of the disciples. He has told them that one of them will betray him. Judas has left into the darkness. Jesus says to his friends that they can't come with him on his next journey, and he commands them to love one another. Then we get our three verses.

It's Peter. Impetuous, energetic Peter. "Why can't I follow? I would lay down my life for you?" He means it. Peter is utterly sincere. His best intention would be to stand up to anything on behalf of Jesus. "Very truly, I tell you," says Jesus, "before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times."

Peter is going to fail. He's going to fail himself. He won't live up to his intentions. He won't stand up for his friend like he thought he would. He'll get in over his head. He'll be in a situation he's not prepared for. He won't understand what's happening or why. He'll feel utterly vulnerable and afraid. He'll be alone, his primary source of strength arrested, bound and threatened. The bottom will fall out. He'll do what he thinks he needs to do to survive. Then he will realize what he has done. You can't undo the past. Maybe he'll hear the echo of those words, "One of you will betray me." "Oh, Lord. It was me!"

That was a night of two betrayals. But they come to such different ends. Judas realized what he had done and despaired. Peter realized what he had done and kept living with it long enough to realize and accept forgiveness. He got other chances to live up to his best intentions. He became "the Rock" on which Jesus would establish his church. According to legend, eventually he was able to follow Jesus and lay down his life for him. Once he had a little more insight and resources and emotional depth. He lived up to his promises. But not today.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

The Sadness of the Hopeless

Thursday, April 13, 2006 -- Maundy Thursday

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


Today's Readings for the Daily Office
(p. 957)
Psalms 102 (morning) // 142, 143 (afternoon)
Lamentations 2:10-18
1 Corinthians 10:14-17; 11:27-32
Mark 14:12-25

Sometimes the sadness of hopelessness seems overwhelming. Psalm 102 is heart-rending. Something about my reading of it today was simply unnerving. My mind went back to a summer 28 years ago. I remember reading the psalms to a woman in a New York hospital. She was dying of cancer. She was emaciated and could barely speak. But she seemed to love the psalms. I can't remember when I learned that she had been a national officer in the headquarters of the United Methodist Church. She had been the New York State chair of Church Women United. She was an important woman. A servant of the Lord and a person of God. I was visiting her as a seminarian-chaplain in the hospital. I only knew her when she was dying.

To this day, nearly three decades later, I remember these words from Psalm 102 because they spoke of her condition. I read them to her, out loud, rather stupidly. I had learned that she liked for me to read the psalms to her. She communicated that to me, though it wasn't exactly through speech, which was too strained for her. So day after day as I visited, I read psalms to her. But on the day that comes back to me, I hadn't read ahead in the psalter. I had started with those beautiful and triumphant psalms in the 90's, and the joyful Jubilate Deo Psalm 100 that I had known from my childhood when we did Morning Prayer on Sundays.

Then I got to Psalm 102. I was already reading it out loud before I knew what it was saying. I was committed before I realized what was coming. "Because of the voice of my groaning I am but skin and bones." (She was.) "I have become like a vulture in the wilderness, like an owl among the ruins. I lie awake and groan; I am like a sparrow, lonely on a house-top." (Her speech was only groans. She was ruins. What do these words mean?) "For I have eaten ashes for bread and mingled my drink with weeping... My days pass away like a shadow, and I wither like the grass." (I watched her curl up before my eyes, dissolving like a shadow.)

The psalm continues as the voice of one who will not survive but who pleas for God to act decisively for the future. Even from the death bed, there is the cry of hope for those who come afterwards. I cringed as I read these words aloud to this helpless, dying woman of great faith.

In today's Daily Office, Psalm 102 sets the context of the exquisite grief of Lamentations. "My bile is poured out on the ground because of the destruction of my people, because infants and babes faint in the streets of the city... as their life is poured out on their mothers' bosom."

And for Jesus who on this night takes bread, and says. "Take; this is my body." And the cup. "This is my blood." There is no escape from the horror, and the violence, and the pain, and the certain death. All is constrained. There is no hope in this life, at least within our lifetime. Any reservoir of hope must rest beyond the horizon of this individual death. That horizon comes to us all. We will all be the lonely sparrow on a house-top. We will all meet that which is stronger than we are. We will all wither like the grass. "This is my body. This is my blood." There will be a last night, a last supper for each of us. As far as that goes, we are all hopeless.

As for the future... There is prayer.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants

Wednesday, April 12, 2006 -- Wednesday in Holy Week

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 957)
Psalms 55 (morning) // 74 (afternoon)
Lamentations 2:1-9
2 Corinthians 1:23 - 2:11
Mark 12:1-11


The vineyard is a beloved image for Israel. The prophets and psalmists spoke of Israel as a vine that has been lovingly planted and nurtured by God -- protected, fed, warmed and watered, occasionally pruned for good health. God gives the vine of Israel everything it needs to produce good fruit and wine.

As Mark narrates the growing escalation of conflict, Jesus uses this image of the vineyard to attack the "chief priests, scribes, and elders" -- the elite Jerusalem aristocracy collaborating with the Romans. These are the greedy tenants who will not give to God the fruits of good living. These are the rebellious leaders who will not listen to the prophetic messages of justice, especially the justice due the poor and weak. These are the people with whom Jesus is contending as he tries to bring his message of an alternative kingdom of God. They are too busy protecting their power and making money from the kingdom of Caesar to listen to Jesus' announcement of God's kingdom of compassion.

These are the Temple authorities who on Monday Jesus called robbers. They started looking for a way to kill Jesus on Monday. These are the ones embarrassed by yesterday's encounter when they couldn't answer Jesus' question about John the Baptist. They did not like John's message, but the presence of the crowd intimidated them from saying so. Today, realizing that Jesus' story of the greedy and violent tenants was directed at them, "they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away."

They will have to find some secret, hidden way to do their dirty business. They don't want the crowd involved. They keep their plots classified, under wraps. They need a traitor who can lead them to a place where they can arrest him out of the glare of the public eye. They need to take him somewhere isolated from common view. They need a different crowd, one they can manipulate and control, in a place where the regular people cannot come. The peasant crowd loves Jesus. Those who are the true Israel listen to him and rejoice.

But not this small, entrenched oligarchy. They are used to running things from the top -- making their decisions in secret and using their power and the influence of empire to their own benefit. It is profitable business. They are willing to use violence to protect it. They won't stand for a little person like Jesus to challenge or expose them.

But for now, the crowds keep them from acting. The crowds protect Jesus. The common peasants respond to his message of compassion. The greedy tenants won't get their chance today. But in the back rooms, they are plotting and planning.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Scriptures for Holy Week

Here are some of the scripture readings for Holy Week.

Suggestion: Print this posting and read a different passage each day and think about it (some questions are offered to help stimulate your reflection).

You'll find your experience of worship this week will be intensified.

If you would like to comment on these scriptures or have some on-line conversation about them, please click the "comments" button at the bottom.
(If you don't have a Blogger account, click "other" or "anonymous" at the comment page.)


Thursday, April 13, 2006
Maundy Thursday, Year B
Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary

The Gospel for Maundy Thursday
John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour
had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having
loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon
Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the
Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come
from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off
his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured
water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to
wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to
Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my
feet?" Jesus answered, "You do not know now what I am doing, but
later you will understand." Peter said to him, "You will never
wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no
share with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only
but also my hands and my head!" Jesus said to him, "One who has
bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is
entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you." For he
knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, "Not all of
you are clean."

After he had washed their feet, had put on his
robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, "Do you
know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord--and
you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and
Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another's feet. For I have set you an example, that you also
should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants
are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater
than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are
blessed if you do them.

"Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been
glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also
glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little
children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for
me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am
going, you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment, that you
love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love
one another. By this everyone will know that you are my
disciples, if you have love for one another.
_____________

What does it mean to you that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples?
How might you have felt
__________________________________________________

Thursday, April 14, 2006 -- Good Friday
The First Reading on Good Friday

Isaiah 52:13-15, 53:1-12
See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up,
and shall be very high. Just as there were many who were
astonished at him --so marred was his appearance, beyond human
semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals-- so he shall
startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of
him; for that which had not been told them they shall see, and
that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.

Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of
the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young
plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or
majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance
that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by
others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as
one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we
held him of no account.

Surely he has borne our infirmities and
carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down
by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made
us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep
have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord
has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he
was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is
led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers
is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By a perversion of
justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future?
For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the
transgression of my people. They made his grave with the wicked
and his tomb with the rich, although he had done no violence, and
there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the Lord
to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for
sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper. Out of his
anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through
his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many
righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will
allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil
with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was
numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and
made intercession for the transgressors.
______________________

This suffering servant passage is one of the most remarkable in all of scripture. When have you seen or experienced vicarious suffering? When have you recognize that the way in which the righteous often suffer at the hands of wrongdoers can lead to a new perception of the meaning of suffering? How can the righteous individual bear the sin of many who are guilty?

How does this passage connect with the crucifixion of Jesus?
________________________________________________________

Easter Sunday

Acts 10:34-43
Ps 118:1-2,14-24
1 Cor 15:1-11
Mk 16:1-8

Acts 10:34-43
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God
shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and
does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he
sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he
is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning
in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power;
how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed
by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that
he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by
hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and
allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were
chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after
he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people
and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the
living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that
everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through
his name."
___________________

This is Peter's witness, his version of what the good news of Jesus means to him.
What is your witness?
How would you explain to someone what the good news of Jesus means to you?
___________________________________________________


Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; *
his mercy endures for ever.
2 Let Israel now proclaim, *
"His mercy endures for ever."
14 The Lord is my strength and my song, *
and he has become my salvation.
15 There is a sound of exultation and victory *
in the tents of the righteous:
16 "The right hand of the Lord has triumphed! *
the right hand of the Lord is exalted!
the right hand of the Lord has triumphed!"
17 I shall not die, but live, *
and declare the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord has punished me sorely, *
but he did not hand me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
I will enter them;
I will offer thanks to the Lord.
20 "This is the gate of the Lord; *
he who is righteous may enter."
21 I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
and have become my salvation.
22 The same stone which the builders rejected *
has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord's doing, *
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 On this day the Lord has acted; *
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
______________________

On Easter we proclaim the victory of Jesus.
What has Jesus triumphed over? Give as many answers as you can.

___________________________________________________

1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news
that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which
also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you
hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you--unless you
have come to believe in vain.

For I handed on to you as of first
importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our
sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried,
and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the
scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters
at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all,
as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the
least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I
persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I
am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the
contrary, I worked harder than any of them--though it was not I,
but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or
they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.
_____________________

We have here some of the earliest content of the message of the early church. Some of it sounds like the beginnings of what will evolve into our creeds.

How does Paul personally appropriate the teaching he has received?
For him, it moves from theology or story to something deeply personal.
How is the story and teaching deeply personal in you?
What does the resurrection mean to you?
________________________________________________________

Mark 16:1-8
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of
James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint
him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun
had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one
another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance
to the tomb?" When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which
was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the
tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on
the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do
not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was
crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the
place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he
is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as
he told you." So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror
and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone,
for they were afraid.
______________________

Vividly re-live this experience as if you were there with the women.
What do you see, hear, smell, taste, touch?
What are your feelings and reactions?
_________________________________________________________________

To Unsubcribe to this email list, please send a regular email to the following address:
lowell-request@arkansasusa.com and type the word LEAVE in the main body of the email.

Anyone may subscribe to this email list by sending a regular email to the following address: lowell-request@arkansasusa.com
Then, type the following command in the main body of the email:
JOIN lowell your-email-address
(example: JOIN lowell JaneDoe@aol.com)

On most weekdays I send a Morning Reflection to this list based upon that day's scripture readings from the Daily Office.

Lowell

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Stages of Suffering

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 -- Tuesday in Holy Week

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 957)
Psalms 6, 12 (morning) // 94 (afternoon)
Lamentations 1:17-22
2 Corinthians 1:8-22
Mark 11:27-33


There are so many different places in the process of suffering. At the beginning of his second letter to the congregation in Corinth, Paul tells them of a crisis he's survived in Asia. He describes it this way: "for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death." That's about as bad as it gets. I've never faced that myself, but I've sure known a lot of friends who have. Paul's next phrase is significant. It describes his response to his crisis. After saying, "we felt that we had received the sentence of death," he continues, "so that we would rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead."

That is the surrender that frees. He knows the deep freedom of being in God's life. "Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's." Now that he is on the other side of this threat, he continues to set his hope on God, and he thanks the Corinthians for their prayers.

The cries of Lamentations come from a different place of suffering. Jerusalem has been destroyed and her leaders deported into exile. There is no relief. There is only deep grief and mourning. "Zion stretches out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her; ...Jerusalem has become a filthy thing..." There is some reflection on the folly and unfaithfulness that contributed to their catastrophe. There is resentment toward those allies who failed them. There is the pitiful cry for revenge. But there is no voice of hope. The anguished words are directed toward God nonetheless. There is still the relationship, the conversation with God in spite of the darkness.

As I read today's scriptures, I'm haunted particularly by one verse in psalm 12 and how it connects with the plight of the fallen Jerusalem. The psalmist writes, "Because the needy are oppressed, and the poor cry out in misery, I will rise up, says the Lord, and give them the help they long for." Part of the self-reflection of the despoiled Jerusalem was about its failure to obey the commands of God to care for the poor and needy and to oppose all oppression. In the recrimination of their misery, they are able to recognize that they failed to follow that basic law of community.

The fundamental accusation of all of the prophets is the warning spoken in this psalm. If you do not act with justice and compassion toward the needy and poor, God will hear the cry of their suffering and will bring down judgment upon the whole society. The prophets are the ones who do their suffering before-the-fact. They are the ones who can see the catastrophe approaching, when something can be done to reverse it. History is not too encouraging though. We rarely listen to the prophets and change our ways.

Monday, April 10, 2006

Jesus Shuts Down the Temple

Monday, April 10, 2006 -- Monday in Holy Week

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 957)
Psalms 51:1-18(19-20) (morning) // 69:1-23 (afternoon)
Lamentations 1:1-2, 6-12
2 Corinthians 1:1-7
Mark 11:12-25


After his entrance into Jerusalem on Sunday, enacting the prophecy of Zechariah that a humble king would ride in upon a donkey and "command peace to the nations," Jesus re-enters Jerusalem on Monday. Mark frames the day with the story of a fig tree that does not produce fruit.

Jesus shuts down the Temple. Why? There are many interpretations.

In Jesus' day the Temple was controlled by several wealthy, elite families who were collaborators with the Romans and their occupation. The high priests participated in the Roman oppression. Though the people loved the Temple, it was also a source of anger because its leadership was so compromised.

Jesus' act echoes the tradition of the prophets who often condemned the worship of Israel when it was not accompanied by justice. The prophetic voice always demands justice, especially toward the weak and poor. The prophets proclaimed over and over, mere outward forms of worship and devotion are meaningless without just actions.

The Temple was a big multinational business. Part of that business was the legitimate work of servicing people's sacrifices as an offering of thanksgiving to God. The Temple would exchange common coinage, often with the bust of the emperor on it, for more appropriate coins. The Temple provided certification for a sacrifice that would be unblemished. There is some evidence that in Jesus' day, this service turned into economic exploitation of the peasants and the poor.

On several occasions Jesus challenged the Temple monopoly on forgiveness by announcing God's forgiveness freely given. At the end of this passage, Jesus tells his disciples, "Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."

Jesus' challenges the way the Temple has been turned into an institution of economic exploitation as a collaboration of the powerful and wealthy. The Temple and its authorities are not producing the fruits of prayer and justice. Like the fig tree that has withered by the afternoon, Jesus shuts down the Temple which fails to bear fruit. The crowd is spellbound. They know what he has attacked. The chief priests and the scribes (accountants) begin looking for a way to kill him.